Reading apparatus



Aug. 27, 1957 R. w. JoNr-:s

READING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 15, 1954 IN1/mm1;

ATTORNEY Robert W JTbeS www R.w. JONES i READING APPARATUS Aug. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1954 figg,

INVENTOR. Rober? WI JOneS TTORNEY 1 2,803,900 READING APPARATUS Robert W. Jones, Flint, Mich. Application March 15, 1954, Serial No. 416,113 4 Claims. (Cl. 40-31) The present invention relates to a reading apparatus and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a compact device which may be placed upon a table or the like or which may, if desired, be mounted upon a separate stand. The device includes a novel framework having a window through which is exposed a web which is adapted to travel from one reel to another. A novel control means is provided for the movement of the web from one reel to the other and the device is such that it is particularlyv useful for the reading of speeches and the like eitherpdirectly to an audience or through other media such as television. It is also useful for the reading of music, it being apparent that there is no necessity for the turning of pages and, in one form of the invention, the use of the readers hands is entirely unnecessary in controlling the continuous web.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device of the character described which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and eiiicient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel reading apparatus including a pair f reels and a web adapted to pass from one reel to the other, a framework having a window for exposing the reel as it so travels and novel means for regulating the movement of the web from one reel to the other.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel frame forming a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specilication taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, and partly dotted, of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the device illustrated in Figure l,

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along line 6-6 of Figure 2, and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing certain elements therein advanced from their position in Figure 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a device of the character set forth comprising an outer casing generally designated at 10 having side walls 11 and 12, end walls 13 and 14 and a top 15 provided with a window 16.

An inner frame is provided with a top plate or platen 17 and a pair of dependent side walls 18 and 19.

Slidably mounted upon the inner face of the side wall 19 by means of a pair of rivets 20 aiixed to the side wall 19 is a plate 21 having a pair of longitudinal slots 22 formed therein to encompass the shanks of the rivets 20, the latter being provided with heads 23 at their inner ends to maintain the plate 21 upon the side wall 19.

A longitudinal slot 24 is provided in the plate 21 between the slots 22- and a reinforcing plate 25 is aflixed to the outer side of the side wall 19 adjacent the slot 24. A stub shaft 26 is journaled in the side wall 19 and reinforcing plate 25 and is provided with la knob 27 at its outer end and, between the outer face of the wall 12 and nited States Patent the knob 27, with an integrally formed radially extending lever 28. A radially extending finger 29 is provided at its outer end with a rounded head 30 and is aliixed to the shaft 25 adjacent the inner end thereof by means of a set screw 31 or the like. integrally formed with the plate 21 and extending upwardly therefrom is a U-shaped abutment 32 which encompasses the rounded head 30.

That end of the plate 21 presented toward the end wall 13 is provided with an integrally formed inwardly extending ear 33 and a like ear 34- is struck from and extends inwardly from the side wall 19. A rod 35 freely extends through the ears 33 and 34 and is provided with a collar 36 which is aliixed thereto and is adapted to bear against that face of the ear 34 presented toward the ear 33. A compression spring 37 surrounds the rod 35 and bears against the collar 36 and the ear 33.

An arcuate brake member 38 is formed integrally with that end of the, plate 21 presented toward the end wall 14 and is covered with a coating of rubber or the like, as indicated at 39.

A reel is generally indicated at 40 and comprises a hollow cylinder 41 in which is centrally and longitudinally mounted a rod 42 one end of which is journaled, as indicated at 43, in that end of the cylinder 41 adjacent the side wall 11 and which is provided with a flattened portion 44 which is extended through the side walls 11 and 18 and is held thereby against rotary movement. A stub shaft 46 extends revolubly through the side walls 12 and 19 and is provided with a knob 47 at the outer end thereof and with a hub 48 at the inner end thereof. A band 49 iixedly interconnects the hub 48 and that end of the cylinder 41 adjacent thereto. A helical spring 50 surrounds the rod 42 and is affixed at one of its ends, as indicated at 51, to the rod 42 and at its other end, as indicated at 52, to the cylinder 41. The band 49 may be.` crimped in corrugated fashion as shown in Figure 7 for providing a roughened surface to be engaged by the brake 38 and for aflixing the hub 48 thereto.

lIn the ends of the side walls 18 and 19 are provided longitudinal slots 53 into which the liattened end 44 of the rod 42 and the stub shaft 46 are assembled. The side wall 12 is provided with a pair of vertically extending transverse slots 54 and 55 to receive respectively therein the stub shafts 46 and 26 when the frame is assembled into the casing 10. The side wall 1'1 is likewise provided with a similar slot 54a for the reception therein of the flattened end 44 of the rod 42. A U-shaped lock plate 56 with its inner leg lixed to the side plate 19 and encompassing the lower edge portion of the side wall 12 adjacent the slot 54 has its outer leg detachably affixed to the side wall 12 by means of a screw 57 or the like. The outer leg of the lock plate 56 bears against the underside of the stub shaft 46. A U-shaped lock plate 58 fixed to the side 18 encompasses the lower edge portion of the side wall 11 and is detachably affixed thereto by means of a screw 59, and its outer leg bears against the flattened portion 44 of the rod 42.

A second reel is generally indicated at 60 and is transversely mounted between the walls 1S and 19 and the walls 11 and 12 adjacent the end wall 13. The reel 60 is substantially identical in construction with the reel 40, but the spring contained therein is of lesser strength than the -spring 50 in the reel 40. Lock plates 61 and 62, identical in construction with the lock plates 56 and 58 are respectively affixed to the walls 12 and 11 by means of screws 63 and 64. The reel 60 has its rod 65 and its stub shaft 66 extending through opposite sides of the device in the same manner as that of the reel 40, with said rod 65 held against rotation by its flattened end 67, it being understood that the cylinder 63 of said reel is free to rotate with respect to the rod 65 against the action of the spring 68' contained therein. t

AV web 69 of flexible material such as paper or the like. is adapted to have its ends wound upon the reels 40 and 6h and with an intermediate portion thereof extended over the. top plate or platen 17" of the frame. Theends` ofthe: web 69 are provided with pluralities of -transversely spaced.' openings 70 which are adapted to engage over hooksr '721 struck' from the cylinders41 and 68 in transversely spaced relationship.

In operation, it will be apparent that when the frame; with the reels 40 and 60 and web 69! therein has been: asv sembled: in the casing 10 by moving the same upwardly, it beingV understood that the various vertical slots allow for such upward movement ofthe stub shafts andthe like; thatthereafter the lock plates 56, et Cetera, may bep'ositioned upon the sidewalls 11 and 12 and aixed thereto` bytheir.` respective screws. thusA keepingA thev device inV a single. unit; The web; 69v will bear uponl its upper side reading; material, musicalscores, or'ther like', as indicated at 72, and will be connected at.` its free ends by means of the hooks 71 tothe reels 40 and 60 whereupon the web may be wound as far aspossibletuponthereel' 40l by turning the handle 4.1 ina counterclockwise direction` as viewed, for example, in Figure l. This manual counterclockwisey turning of the reeltensions the spring 50 therein and causes counterclockwise turning offthereel 60 by the pulling of wound web 69v` therefrom toftension its spring 68a. The device is'now in condition for operation, and it'will be apparent that the material displayed upon the web 69 may befviewed. through the window'16.y As the reader completes reading that portion ofthe ma terial displayed through the window 16, he mayy then allow the web 69 lto move in an upwarddirection` as viewed, for example, in Figure 2, that is to say, from the reel'v 40y to the reel 60, this being accomplished by turning the knob or handle 27 in a clockwise direction as viewed, for example, in Figure l. Whereupon, the finger 29A will act to move the plate 21 and consequently the brake member 38 out ofV braking contact with the band 49', thus permitting the reel'40 tounwind'in a clockwise direction-due' to the action ofV a spring 50, again as ViewedinFigurel, whereupon the spring 68a of the reel assembly 601' will act to cause the reel 60 to move in a'clockwise directionagain as viewedA in Figure l. The spring 68aml the reel 60', whichis ofless strength than the springin the reell 40,' is for the purpose ofwinding on-the reel any portion of the web 691 unwound` from the reel 40, and'it snot intended: that the' spring 68a' exert sufficient pull on the web 69`1to1aidV in theA unwindingv of said web from thereel 40. AsL soon' asf a sufficient amountA of: web 69 has thus' moved from-the reel 40 to-the-reel60 tothus display new matter inthe window 16, theread'erwill releasehis gripl upon` thel knob 273, thus allowing the plate 212 to movel downwardly' as viewed in Figure 5, for example, due to the action of` the compression spring 371 acting thereon and thus'forcingthe brake member 38 againinto contact with the band 49 to thus lock the web inthe newly selected position. In case asmall-y amount of movement of thewcb 69 in either'direction is desired, the knob-47l may be turnedI againstfrictional-engagement of the brake member with the band.

Should it be desiredj to remotely control' the present devicefas by means of a'foot pedal; generallyindicated at 80, the device maybe mounted*I upon, for example, an

easel shown in dotted; lines in Figure l and generally designated at 81, the easel being supported in customary manner by a standard 82. mountedv upon a base 832 In this case, aY reciprocable cable S4 extends from -the foot. pedal`80 through a llexible housing 85 whichV terminates. ina bracket 86`aftixed to the side wall 12 by meansof, screws, 87, itbeing understood'that the free end of` the cable 84 has a head 88 thereon adapted lto move the lever 28`in aclockwise direction as viewed-in Figure l when the foot pedal. 80 is pressed downwardly by the foot ofA the operator.

While I have herein described a specific form which 4 the invention may take,4 it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art which still fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimedis:

l. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a window therein, aframe, means for affixing said frame in saidv casing, a reel transversely mounted in each end of said frame, a web of flexible material wound upon and interconnecting said reels, means for moving said webfrom one reel to the other beneath saidy window, said means including aspring in eachA of said reels, and manually operablel means for controlling saidv movement, said last-mentioned meansv comprising a' band'Y carried by said one` reel, a: plate' slidably mounted on said frame, a brake-member formedi at one endof' said plate; al U'-shapedabutment formed integrally with said plate, aA rotatable stub'shaft extendingthrough said-frame andisaitl'x casing; a in'ger radially aixe'd` to saidl shaft'andl having' its freeY end positioned between the legs of' said` abutment, a leverradially' aixed toi said shaft externally of sai'd casing, a knoby at" thel outer end of said shaft, and@springfmeanstcarriedtbyfsaidfrarne for normally urging saint-brake member against said band.

2. A device as dened'in claimv 1 wherein said'l spring means comprises an aperturedearr formedv at they other end of' said plate, an apertured ear formed integrally wi'th saidi frame; a-'rod extendingY through said' ears, av collar affixed toA said rod and bearing against that facev of the ear carried by the frame which is presented toward'y the earcarriedlby-theplate, and a' compression springgsurroundingy said rodi' and bearingA against said collar and` against'said earcarried: by said plate.

3'. A device otL the character describedV comprising av y substantially'rectangular'casing havingawindow therein,

a pair of elongated reels rotatably mounted Within said casing and at opposite ends ofv said window, a web of exible materialtextending beneath said Window and having its` opposite` ends` wound upon said reels, separate spring-power means operatively connected to each of' said" reels so" as to i'mpart'rotationY totheir respective reels in'- depe'ndent ot? one another and` in directions whereby one of sai'dneels constitutesV a webdelivery reel' and the other a webtake-up reel, and-a manually operable brake member engageable with said web deliveryreel' so as to frctionally'holdsaidreelagainst'rotation by its spring power means and the delivery of said web. to the web` take-up reel 4. A, device of. the character. described comprising: a substantially' rectangular casing having a window' therein, a pair of elongated reels rotatably mounted Within saidA casing and at` oppositeY ends of' said'window, aweb of flexible material' extending beneath said window and having its'opp'osite ends wound upon said reels, separate spring power means operatively' connected to each of' said reels so as toimpart rotation to their respective reels independent of one another and4 in directions whereby one ofy said reels constitutes a web delivery reel and the other a web take-up reel; said spring power means for' imparting rotation to said web delivery reel being of appreciably, greater power than the springpower means for imparting-rotation tosaid web take'upreel`andy a manually operable` brake member engageable withV said web delivery reel.' so asV to frictionally, hold said'reel against rotation. by itsY spring power means andAv the delivery ofi saidweb to the web take-up reel.

Rel'ferencesA Citedlin.. the tile of .this patent UNITED STATES PATENT-S 726l`0l` Reich et al.r Apr..2l, 1903 921,181 Tanner May 11',` 1909 l,3.l6l79 Paley Sept. 1'6,4 1`9`l9 2`,l.2flf,79,7` Holland June 28,' 1938.` 

